PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Richard Hickock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Red Darglio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hickock kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Why can't we be friends. Darglio comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Black Keys "Funk #49" kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hickock
vs
Darglio

182 cm
30
193 lbs
21 - 15 - 2

186 cm
34
202 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 15 - 2, fighting out of New York, Richard Hickock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Red Darglio!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hickock on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Hickock takes the fight into the clinch.

Hickock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hickock misses with the combination.
Darglio misses with a straight right.
Hickock lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Darglio circles away quickly and effectively.
Darglio misses with a straight right.
Hickock throws a hook but Darglio avoids it easily.
Hickock misses with a right hand
and Darglio cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hickock lands with a right hand.
Hickock tries to clinch up but Darglio circles away and keeps his distance.
Darglio lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Darglio throws a shot to the body.
Darglio walks into a straight right hand from Hickock.
Hickock ducks under a wild hook from Darglio.
Hickock jabs Darglio to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darglio lands a leg kick that knocks Hickock off balance momentarily.
A low kick from Hickock misses
and Darglio counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Richard Hickock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hickock moves in looking to clinch but Darglio pushes him off.
Darglio avoids the head kick by Hickock.
Darglio throws a hook to the side of Hickock's head but Hickock sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hickock takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Hickock moves into range and connects with a jab.
A big left from Hickock misses.
Hickock connects with a body shot that sends Darglio's belly button to the back.
Darglio throws a hook but Hickock blocks it.
Hickock fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've been told by Hickock's head coaches at Kick In The Nutz Gym (14 Elite Coaches, Low Cap) that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Hickock changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hickock throws a lazy right hand but Darglio sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Hickock misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darglio ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hickock moves away.
Hickock scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Hickock tries to clinch but Darglio moves away
and Darglio counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Darglio just misses with a punch to the body.
Darglio lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Hickock looks to score with a jab to the body but Darglio is just out of range.
Hickock misses the shot to the body.

Hickock closes the distance and clinches.
Darglio misses with the head strike.
Hickock lands a body punch in the clinch.
Hickock throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Darglios head.
Hickock works on Darglio's body with a couple of short punches.
Hickock can't find room to land a body shot as Darglio controls the action.
Hickock lands an elbow that stopped Darglio in his tracks for a moment.
Hickock blocks an uppercut.
Darglio tries to work over Hickock's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darglio doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hickock tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Darglio's elbow.

Hickock breaks the clinch.
Darglio closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Hickock works the jab nicely.
Darglio throws a leg kick but Hickock sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Darglio throws a shot from downtown. Hickock moves away and avoids it.
Hickock throws a head kick that Darglio semi-blocks.
Hickock looks for the body kick but Darglio saw that one coming.
Darglio throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Hickock has closed the distance and engaged Darglio in a clinch.
Hickock blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Darglio struggles to land a body shot inside as Hickock controls his hands.
A shot in the inside from Hickock.
A head punch on the inside from Darglio fails to land.
Darglio swings wildly with an uppercut but Hickock uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hickock softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hickock can't break the clinch.
Darglio tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Hickock breaks the clinch.
Hickock throws a shot to the body.
Hickock throws a hook but Darglio blocks it.
A punch combination from Hickock misses.
Darglio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Darglio dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hickock tries a head kick but it misses.
Hickock fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Darglio fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hickock manages to avoid it.
Darglio lands a body shot.
Hickock throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Darglio on the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Hickock dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hickock takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Darglio gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Darglio tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hickock was well out of range. Poor timing from Darglio.

Hickock closes the distance and pushes Darglio back into the cage.
Hickock has a couple of punches blocked by Darglio.
Hickock keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Darglio's efforts to push away.
Darglio throws a head punch that misses.
Hickock on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Darglio misses with a punch to the body.
Darglio doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hickock lands an elbow that stopped Darglio in his tracks for a moment.
Darglio goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hickock on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Darglio tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hickock avoids it.
Darglio trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darglio blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Darglio blocking some punches.
Hickock blocking some punches.
Hickock throws a punch but it's blocked by Darglio.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hickock as Darglio tries to tie him up.
Darglio throws a punch but it's blocked by Hickock.
Darglio wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A short uppercut from Hickock.
Hickock throws an elbow but it misses.
Darglio throws a head punch that misses.

Hickock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Darglio digs a good hook to Hickock's body.
Darglio connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Hickock's jab looks to have found its range, popping Darglio under the eye.
Darglio takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Richard Hickock is winning the standup battle so far.
Darglio jabs at Hickock's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hickock tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Darglio manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hickock misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Darglio moves out of range of the strikes.
Darglio lands the left hand.
Hickock throws a combination that misses
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
and Darglio counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Good shot there by Darglio.
Hickock scores with a punch to the head.
Darglio swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Darglio throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hickock pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Darglio fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hickock manages to avoid it.
Hickock tries to close the distance and clinch up but Darglio swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hickock lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Darglio throws out a loose jab but Hickock uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darglio slips under a jab.
Hickock misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Darglio.
Darglio lands a nice looking body shot.
Hickock lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Darglio defending well as Hickock loads up on a big left hand.
Darglio shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Hickock comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A slow jab from Darglio misses its intended target.
A low kick from Darglio is predictable there
and Hickock counters with a nice body shot.
Hickock connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Darglio momentarily.

Darglio is rocked!
Darglio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hickock throws a body punch but Darglio moves out of range.
Darglio scores with a leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hickock throws out a loose jab but Darglio uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hickock is looking to clinch but Darglio is avoiding it.
Darglio moves out of range of the strikes.
Darglio scores with a hook to the body. Hickock takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Darglio feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hickock's calf.
Darglio fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Hickock blocks a jab.

Hickock closes the distance and pushes Darglio back into the cage.
Darglio struggles to land a body shot inside as Hickock controls his hands.
Hickock working aggressively here.
Darglio is leaning against Hickock and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Hickock blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hickock tries to break free but Darglio pushes him back against the cage.
Richard Hickock has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Darglio tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hickock's elbow.
Darglio misses with a punch to the body.

Hickock breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Richard Hickock will probably get the nod.
That's time! Hickock's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hickock has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Darglio.
Darglio misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hickock.
Hickock throws an overhand right that lands on Darglio's shoulder, as Darglio tries to avoid the shot.
Donk. Darglio catches Hickock right on the button with a cross.
Hickock throws a shot from downtown. Darglio moves away and avoids it.
Darglio drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Hickock with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Darglio to score with a decent uppercut.
Hickock keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hickock tries to clinch there but Darglio circles away.
Hickock misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hickock throws a lazy right hand but Darglio sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Darglio throws a half hearted mid kick.
Hickock doesn't manage to clinch there - Darglio circles away.
Hickock throws a leg kick but Darglio moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickock digs a good hook to Darglio's body.
Hickock gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Darglio counters with a nice uppercut.
Hickock defending well as Darglio loads up on a big left hand.
Hickock throws a head kick that misses.
Darglio lands a jab.
Hickock throws a jab when Darglio was well out of range.
Darglio takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Hickock misses with the combination.
Darglio tried to score with a low kick but Hickock checks it.

Hickock clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darglio.
Darglio is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darglio misses with a punch to the body.
Darglio lands a body shot in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hickock lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Darglio backwards.
Hickock misses with a hook from the clinch.
Darglio blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hickock doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hickock lands a left hand.
Darglio makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Red Darglio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darglio prevents Hickock from breaking the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darglio.
A shot in the inside from Hickock.
Darglio misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Darglio breaks the clinch.
Hickock swinging wildly here.
Darglio has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Darglio throws a lazy right hand but Hickock sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darglio scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hickock in his tracks.
Hickock throws a head kick but Darglio moves out of range.
Darglio is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hickock.
Darglio avoids the head kick by Hickock.
Darglio connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Hickock throws a jab when Darglio was well out of range.
Hickock displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Darglio throws out the jab.
Darglio loads up on a big right hand but Hickock slips the punch.
Hickock jabs Darglio right on the nose. Darglio blinks but takes it well.
Darglio misses with an attempted mid kick.
Darglio staying out of range there.
Darglio avoids the head kick by Hickock.
Darglio throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Darglio is looking to slow Hickock down with leg kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hickock doesn't manage to clinch there - Darglio circles away.
Hickock tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Darglio stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Hickock.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hickock throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Hickock.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hickock wants to clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Darglio there.
Darglio connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hickock lands with a shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Darglio.
Hickock looks to throw the jab but Darglio is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Red Darglio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hickock has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Richard Hickock!
Richard Hickock decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.